


I Could Lie (Say I Like It Like That)

by whosthatpokaimon



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, This is just pure angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25839472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whosthatpokaimon/pseuds/whosthatpokaimon
Summary: His mother always said life only gave you one true love. She said once you find it, you should run to it, but he didn't know if that was such a good idea in this case. He didn't want to risk everything they had if Ed didn't reciprocate said feelings. They had too good a friendship for that. One slip and the whole relationship could crash down.Title from when the party's over - Billie Eilish
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is just pure angst, it was a good break from tmhtfr

Oswald recently found himself in a predicament he never thought he would be in. After the night at the Sirens, he realized something very important to him.

He had grown feelings for Edward. Chief of Staff, close friend, now new love. His mother always said life only gave you one true love. She said once you find it, you should run to it, but he didn't know if that was such a good idea in this case. He didn't want to risk everything they had if Ed didn't reciprocate said feelings. They had too good a friendship for that. One slip and the whole relationship could crash down.

He especially couldn't bring it up after Edward found a new relationship. He set up a date, made dinner, lit candles, everything was perfect until the man of the hour never showed. He found out why the next morning. It felt like his heart fell through him to the core of the earth. Every negative emotion possible, crashing into him like a wave at high tide pushing its way to shore. He planned on confessing that night. It was either cowardice and safety or courage and it was slowly killing him not having Ed know. So many nights had passed where he would lay awake, thinking about Ed in every way possible. So many nights, he thought about Ed holding him, kissing him, reassuring him, even making love to him…

If only Isabella hadn't so suddenly and inconveniently inserted herself into Edward's story. It was so surreal how much she resembled his ex. They hit it off immediately. After that, Oswald simply kept his mouth shut. Sure, it pained him to see Edward infatuated with another, but Oswald really didn't want to interfere. Edward was happy and he was ready to give up his own happiness for it. All he ever wanted was for Ed to be happy, after all. Being a good friend was all Oswald would ever be able to give to Ed.

Even as he came to Oswald shaking and falling apart weeks later, telling him he did it again, Oswald was there. Like any good friend would be in a situation like that. Oswald knew Ed would eventually kill her too, but he feared he would only make it worse if he interfered to end it himself. Understandably, Edward was distant for a few days afterward, but he came back stronger, as he always does. And it only made Oswald fall harder.

Yet, he still hid his feelings. He knew the love would only be one-sided after this. He knew that after Ed killed Isabella, there was a high chance he wouldn't trust himself with love again. He said it himself that he's better off unencumbered. There were moments where Ed would seem to act differently, touches lingering for longer than usual, looks that would seem softer than his typical glances or stares, but he didn't want to take the risk. For now, keeping their friendship was better than not having it at all.

All he had to do was act like he was perfectly fine with something strictly platonic with Ed when deep down, it still hurt.


	2. Chapter 2

“Oswald?” Ed was the first to speak up. It was the first time either of them had spoken to each other outside of work in months. They sat at the dinner table like they usually did, silence thick in the dining room as only the firelight illuminated the objects and people in the room. Oswald looked up and his heart skipped a beat. Ed looked so beautiful under the low, almost romantic lighting.

“Yes, Edward?” Oswald responded after swallowing the forkful of filet mignon he shoved into his mouth a few moments prior. He hoped he didn’t sound too uneasy, a light pink beginning to dust his cheeks. Ed seemed to hesitate, taking a breath and tapping at his mouth with his napkin before speaking.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about for a while now.”

Oswald’s eyes widened slightly. No, he couldn’t get his hopes up now. Ed did this sort of thing all the time. Use wordplay to make it seem like it has a different context than it actually does. Still, his heart fluttered as his mind wandered to a what-if as he heard Ed say ‘I love you’, as he saw Ed walk up and kiss him, deeply and passionately. Unfortunately, when he was brought back, they still sat 20 feet apart at opposite ends of the table in silence.

“Of course, Ed, you know you can talk to me about anything,” Oswald smiled. Ed averted his gaze back down to his food and nudged whatever was left of it around the plate with his fork.

"Do you remember that night, after your election party at the Sirens? We sat together on that couch and you gave me ginger tea with honey?”

He did remember that night. Oswald made a vow to himself to never forget it. It was a recurring moment in many of his fantasies that, at this point, he knew for sure would never happen. Oswald sighed, “It feels like so long ago…”

“Do you remember what I said that night?” Ed looked up at him, the firelight reflecting off his glasses and making his deep brown eyes shine. Oswald had to look away, settling on the painting of the two of them they hung on the wall.

“You said you’d do anything for me,” Oswald muttered just loud enough for it to be audible.

Ed shifted in his seat, a movement Oswald could see out of the corner of his eye, “I hope you know that… That statement still stands…”

Oswald didn’t turn to look at Ed, but he knew that Ed could see the surprise in his face. That could mean anything, something he meant as a friend, but it didn’t stop Oswald from thinking otherwise. Then his mind drifted into a bit of a darker place. What if Ed was manipulating him? Oswald would die for Ed and he knew that, but it couldn’t stop him from disposing of Oswald when Ed was done with him and leaving to find someone else again. Maybe Ed was being genuine? He couldn't tell. Oswald has been hurt too many times in his life by people he trusted, people he loved, to not see the red flags.

Ed sighed at Oswald’s silence and continued, “I know that can be hard to believe now, but trust me, Oswald. I’m gonna need you to listen very carefully to what I’m going to say next.”

Oswald glanced at Ed and saw the serious, but borderline soft expression on his face. He looked away once more, this time redirecting his attention to the few bites of food still left on his plate, “… I’m listening.”

“These past few months have been… Dull, but spending more time with you, I realize that if I’m with you, even those cloudy days can have a ray of sunshine. I realized that I never really loved Isabella, I only loved the idea of her…”

Oswald listened while he finished his plate, processing the information given to him at the speed of a snail pushing its way through molasses. He looked into every word to see if there was some hidden meaning to it, to see if the tone of his voice could give anything away, but he couldn’t let the words mean anything to him just yet.

“I can’t be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance. I’m useless to one… Priceless to two. Oswald, that riddle was never about the election.”

“What was it about then, Ed? What’s your point here?” Oswald placed his fork down onto his plate a little too forcefully as he looked at Ed, trying to hold back any tears that were threatening to break free, “Because frankly, I’m tired of you dancing around your point like a goddamn ballerina instead of just telling me what you’re trying to-”

“I love you, Oswald!” Ed practically shouted across the table, slamming his hands down onto it. Oswald’s eyes went wide and his jaw fell. Ed’s face turned a deep shade of red and became significantly harder to read. Oswald scoffed in return.

“Of course you say that. I’m your only friend, you’re going to feel a fondness for me, genius,” He crossed his arms, keeping himself from smashing the empty plate in front of him. Ed almost looked hurt.

“It’s not that. This is different. I’m in-”

“Prove it, then.”

“Excuse me?”

“Prove to me that you love me. Or, at least prove to me how far you’re willing to go for your little trick here,” Oswald spat, but his voice wavered, revealing the crack of true emotion through the facade.

“Oswald…” Ed sighed. Oswald didn’t respond, glaring at him with whatever dignity he could hold in this situation. He pushed his chair away from the table to stand and make his way around it. Oswald refused to look at him now. He could see Ed open his arms in his peripherals as an invitation for… Something, “Come here.”

“Ed, I really don’t see how a hug can solve anything.”

“Just come here. Please?”

Oswald turned and felt a pang in his chest at how soft Ed looked. Standing there with a smile, arms outstretched, cheeks painted red. He sighed and stood up, reaching out to return the gesture before Ed suddenly grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss. His eyes were wide for a moment and he forced himself to pull away. Ed looked down at him with hooded eyes and Oswald couldn’t find a single hint of anything other than  _ love  _ in that gaze. Oswald brought a hand to the back of his neck and brought him back down, enjoying a much softer kiss at a slower pace. Ed wrapped his arms around his waist and Oswald melted into the touch. All of the pent up emotion over the past few months finally resolved and released in one kiss.

They pulled apart and Oswald couldn’t stop the sob that escaped him, gripping onto Ed’s lapels as they leaned their foreheads against one another, “I was so afraid of losing you, Ed…”

“Shh… It’s okay, Oswald, relax. I’m not going anywhere,” Ed whispered soothingly as he ran a hand along Oswald’s back. Oswald kissed him again, slotting their bodies together like matching puzzle pieces. Like they were made for each other.

Oswald finally calmed down, looking up at Ed with a coy smile. Ed brought a hand up to brush away a stray tear with his thumb, “I love you, Oswald. I have loved you since the apartment, but I only noticed just how much I did recently. I love you so, so much…”

“I love you too, Ed.”

Oswald knew that happy endings were never meant for men like him, but maybe this wasn’t the end. Maybe this was a new beginning. A new beginning that he can explore with Ed close by his side. Just the two of them, forever.

**Author's Note:**

> sob


End file.
